I Can't Change The Past
by crazyaboutfanfiction
Summary: They'd finally caught up to the vampire they were chasing. It had been a long run, but they finally had her. And when she turned around, Emmett froze, a mixture of shock and horror. The blonde smirked and said, "Hi Emmett, long time no see." But it couldn't be her. She was supposed to be dead years ago. Emmett/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, so this is sort of a test run on this plot. Cause I don't know if its going to work with my writing style, but basically, it starts out before Emmett becomes a vampire, and goes pretty far after the books finish (if all goes according to plan and I decide to continue this story). So tell me if you think I should keep it around please! It's greatly appreciated. By the way, this is a Emmett/OC story with no Rosalie.**

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"How does it feel to be back in Gatlinburg again Emmett?" Bella asked as the group exited the airport.

Emmett smiled sadly and looked up at the cloudy sky, "It's fine." Looking around, he spotted the car Carlisle had walked off to rent and headed that direction, "Certainly brings back some old memories." Emmett didn't like talking about the last time he'd been in Gatlinburg, which was over 90 years ago.

Bella watched curiously as Emmett loaded himself in the back seat of one of their two rented cars. "What's wrong with Emmett?" Bella asked Edward in a barely audible voice. Usually, Emmett was the ever happy, protective older brother anyone would love to have, but from the second they'd boarded the plane to Gatlinburg he'd been off.

When the Cullens had decided on a family vacation, Emmett had been the first to start throwing out suggestions, all sorts of different exotic destinations. Yet, when Alice mentioned going to the mountains, somewhere near where Emmett grew up, he'd immediately fallen silent.

With all the other exotic vacations they'd taken over the last few years Bella had been a vampire, she immediately jumped on board the idea. The night the location was officially decided Edward had held Bella back from leaving on her shopping trip with Nessie and Alice just long enough to warn her not to bring up Emmett's past while in Gatlinburg.

"I'll explain later," Edward whispered as he headed toward the second car.

"Mom," Nessie ran up to her, tugging a reluctant Jacob, who she'd forced to come with them on the trip, behind her. Nessie resembled a girl around the age of fourteen now, and never left Jacob's side for a second. "Is Uncle Emmett okay?" She asked under her breath as the three of them followed Edward.

"Yeah sweetie," Bella nodded, wrapping an arm around her daughter, "he's just getting sad thinking about his old home." It was the only thing she could think to say. Bella assumed it had to be the truth; nothing else would put Emmett in a mood like that.

Nessie nodded very serious before coming to a halt and thinking hard. "Maybe we should ride with him," she said, referring to herself and Jake. "We could talk about something else and get his mind of it, and he could tease Jake about how bad he thinks he smells." Nessie was jumping for joy at her idea like it was pure genius, "That always cheers him up!" Keeping a firm hold on Jacob's hand she dragged him towards the car that contained Emmett, Esme, and Carlisle.

"Nah, Bella, come on. Don't let her..." Jacob began to protest, but it didn't last long. One slightly glaring look and he shut up, rolling his eyes, but going along with the plan.

Bella laughed and walked to sit in the passenger seat with Edward, finding Alice and Jasper already in the back, talking excitedly about the vacation. "I just love the mountains!" Alice was gushing as Bella opened the door. "They're so beautiful this time of year, with all the snow." Bella took her seat and the two cars finally left the parking lot, headed for the cabin they rented.

"So, will you tell me what it is now?" Bella turned her attention to Edward. She assumed whatever was bothering Emmett was something Edward could tell her in front of Alice and Jasper. Even if it wasn't though, she desperately wanted to know why there was such a drastic change in his mood.

Edward sighed, appearing to think over the topic; and Alice and Jasper's conversation immediately ceased. "He's..."

Before Edward could really speak to the subject, Alice cut in, "He's thinking about _her_ again..."

"Her?" Bella raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean _her_?" Bella wasn't aware that Emmett had any _her_ to be thinking about.

"Ella." Jasper stated simply with a sigh and a shake of his head. "Figures," he mumbled.

Alice smiled sadly and playfully slapped Jasper's arm. "Let me tell the story Edward," she insisted when she saw him opening his mouth. "It's a very sweet story." Alice giggled and continued to tease, "We wouldn't want you ruining it by leaving out the details."

Edward rolled his eyes, but let his sister continue on with her story telling. "So, Emmett was born in 1915. His family was very much middle class, and his mother was very traditional when it came to pretty much everything. Two years after Emmett, in 1917, a prostitute named Anne got pregnant from one of her unknown clients. She generally only worked for the high-class clients, most of them married, so no one knew who the father was, and no one wanted to know."

Alice seemed very keen on telling this story, almost like it was her favorite fairy tale. "Anne had the baby, named her Ella, and then died a few hours later due to the birth. She was sent to an orphanage a few miles up the road from where Emmett lived, and the two met a few years later when they both started going to school."

Now Bella understood why Alice liked this story so much. It really was like a fairy tale, at least so far, and it was a real one at that. "So they became good friends. Emmett's mother didn't exactly approve of the Ella, since most of the town didn't like her purely for her parentage. But his mother let it go, not really thinking much of it." Alice leaned back, and suddenly took on a much more serious tone. "Emmett and Ella loved each other like brother and sister. So to help her situation, when Emmett moved out, he took Ella in. His mother being so traditional certainly didn't like that."

Poor Ella, Bella thought before Alice continued. "Ella was very sweet, kind girl, and she managed to somewhat work her way back in Mrs. McCarty's good graces. A few years passed, and the Great Depression started taking its toll on Emmett and his family. Emmett was about to lose his job, his father and brothers already had, and his sister was becoming very sick. He'd always loved hunting and did it often to help bring in some food, so he decided to go out on some much longer hunting trips so he could work on bringing back enough to sell for some money."

Bella, knowing how Emmett changed, could already see where this was going. "Years of living together had brought Emmett and Ella's relationship into a very different light. She wasn't just his sister anymore. So he determined to come back safely to her and confront her about his feelings... But he never came back from his hunting trip."

That sentence seemed to somber everyone in the car. "He was attacked by a bear in the woods, and Esme found him, taking him to Carlisle, who turned him. He joined the coven, but refused to leave immediately. He wanted to see how everyone was." Alice sighed and looked out the window for a moment, "By the time he woke up, a search party was out looking for him. He pulled himself together enough to follow them and heard some of the men talking about Ella, how worried she was, how she herself had begged to join in the search..."

Alice's eyes met Bella's for the first time since the story started, "Emmett didn't trust himself to not hurt Ella, so he asked Esme, Edward, and Carlisle to check on her. Esme reported back that she would be fine in time, but Emmett didn't believe that to be the whole story; so Carlisle told him the honest truth... A friend of theirs was required to stay with Ella at all times, without Emmett she was suicidal. She never left her rooms, never spoke a word except to ask if they'd found him."

"Finally, Emmett collected himself enough to go watch his funeral. Nearly everyone in town came. They all gave their condolences to his family, but they all just sent Ella a said look and turned away. Ella stood by the tombstone and the empty grave several hours after everyone else left. When she finally headed home, Emmett followed her to make sure she was safe. No one stayed with her anymore. She was alone, and the town had given up talking to her. Emmett watched her several days; she went home to the graveyard and back, never anywhere else. Once or twice he saw people stop by to bring her food, but that was the only remote change to her schedule."

Bella assumed if Alice could cry she would be now, crying for her brother's pain and Ella's. "Emmett refused to leave her there helpless, so Esme put together a bag of food and enough money for one person to live twenty years off at least. Emmett dropped it off on her porch and knocked before hiding in the woods. He watched her open the bag, look it over, and a few hours later she carried that same bag, still full, to the orphanage and left it for the children there... Then he left."

"He just left her?" Bella gasped. "He never went back to see her? Didn't he care?"

Edward was the one to answer this time. "He never went to see her, but don't mistake that for not caring... He cared too much for her and too little for himself. He'd rather spend an eternity in misery than see her and bring back those horrible memories for her."

"Did he never find out what happened to her at least?" Bella asked, curious with this new insight into Emmett.

Edward rolled his eyes, "He waited several decades. He couldn't look her up while she was still alive or he'd be too tempted to see her... He searched her about a decade ago. Her headstone is in White Oak Flats, the spot right next to his."

Bella's eyes widened, "That's awful! She's buried next to Emmett's empty grave... After so long it was still Emmett?"

"That's why we had to come here." Alice insisted. "Something changes... I don't know what, but I can feel it. Something's different."

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**Well, that's it for the first chapter. whatcha think? Still don't know if I should keep it around, so review and let me know. Whether your a yes or no I could really use some opinions.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for those of you that reviewed. Hope you like this chapter, please keep letting me know what you think. I'm venturing into some uncharted territory here, so its nerve racking.**

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"I'm heading out into town," Emmett announced to the group as they all entered the cabin and finished choosing rooms. "I want to see how much it's changed." He turned to head out the door without another word, not expecting any objections.

Jasper looked around at his family. It seemed everyone, even Alice, was rather shocked by his sudden leaving. Despite knowing the situation, they'd all expected him to at least take a moment to settle down before looking. "I'll be back in a bit." Jasper whispered to Alice, kissing the top of her head before taking off after Emmett. "I'm coming with you." He called when he was outside with him.

Emmett sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew there was no point in arguing. "Come on then... I'm not sure I remember the way." Emmett lost his pretense of seeing the town. Knowing Jasper wouldn't be fooled by it, he accepted to walking with him down to the cemetery.

Jasper remained silent for the most part, letting Emmett take the lead. Generally, he'd only come with Emmett to make sure he kept his emotions in check and didn't do anything to rash, but now he felt curious. Not about his motives, he knew why Emmett was doing it: he needed confirmation, to see it with his own two eyes. Emmett had to know that his last human love was gone for him to really accept that eternity meant losing everything else.

"Emmett, do you mind me asking... you're going to live for eternity. Why fixate on a girl you've already lost?" Jasper felt he was a very understanding person. He understood why he had to see the grave; he understood fixating on a girl, clearly he had with Alice; and he even understood fixating on someone you knew in your human life, trying to hold onto the past, before you turned into this monster. But he didn't understand why Emmett couldn't move on past a girl from his human life, who had clearly been long gone and buried.

"Cause Jasper," Emmett looked up toward the sky again, only this time he was smiling sadly. "She was everything. Everything Alice ever was to you, everything Bella is to Edward, Nessie to Jake. She was my life... "I stood outside her door and watched her give my last gift, my one final plea to help her, away because she thought they needed it more while she starved in that house. I was feet away from her. I could've come to her, begged and pleaded with Carlisle to make her like us; but I knew she wouldn't want this life, to be like me, a monster.

"Vampires, we all have perfect memories... I hold onto the memory of those two seconds I saw her in that doorway picking up that bag, the two seconds a breeze came by when she was walking home and I could smell her, sweeter than anything I'd ever smelled." Emmett finished and went quiet again as the sign hanging above the cemeteries entrance came into view.

Jasper was unsure whether to be impressed or understanding. He could obviously feel Emmett pain from talking about the subject, so he understood; yet he was somewhat impressed and surprised to find Emmett capable of such deep emotions. "I'll look over here," Jasper thumbed toward one of the lines of graves.

Emmett simply nodded and headed the opposite direction, searching the headstones one at a time for the right one.

Jasper walked row by row, gazing over every headstone. He was barely registering the names with the way he was sensing Emmett's growing depression. Reaching the last headstone in his second row, Jasper reached down to move a bouquet of flowers out of the way and barely contained a gasp. "Emmett, over here."

Emmett was by his side in the blink of an eye, looking down at the headstone Jasper had called him to. "You know," Emmett bent down and wiped some dirt off the engraving in it. "They didn't make her pay a dime for it." He got back to his feet and stared at his own headstone, marking his empty grave. The inscription was simple.

_"Emmett McCarty_

_May 3, 1915- July 1935 _

_His body is not here, _

_But his heart always will be."_

Jasper smiled sadly down at the headstone and leaned down to pick up the flowers. "Someone still remembers you." He lifted the flowers up and sniffed them. They didn't smell right, another reason he had never been fond of flowers; the smell, when they did smell right, overpowered the senses.

Emmett seemed to be fixated on his grave, deep in thought, so Jasper simply set the flowers down and moved further down the row. The very next grave, just as Alice had said, was marked with the name he felt Emmett was truly searching for. "Emmett, it's her."

Taking a few steps back, Jasper scanned their surroundings as Emmett moved and knelt in front of the grave. Something was in the woods, a deer or something, and it was breaking quite a few twigs, quite an irritating sound to Jasper. "What is this?" Emmett asked after a moment. That caught Jasper's attention and he bent over to read. Her headstone seemed a fair bit fancier and more expensive than his.

_"Ella Anne Pearson_

_August 9, 1926 – ?August 1935?_

_Missing from this grave, _

_But not from our hearts. _

_Thank you Ella, _

_For saving us._

_He would be proud."_

Jasper had to admit, he too was stumped by the inscription. Perhaps Emmett had missed some facts on his search for what happened to her and where she was. "There are question marks around her death... What does that mean? ..."

"That's a month after me," Emmett traced a finger over her death inside the question marks. Jasper could feel his mood slowly changing from sorrow to anger and then to pure rage, directed solely at himself.

Jasper patted his shoulder and sent a wave of calm over him, "We'll figure this out." Whipping out his phone, he found Alice was already calling him, his phone ringing the first time just then. "Alice, we..."

"I know," She replied instantly, "Edward and I are on our way with the car. Keep Emmett calm..."

Emmett's anger was growing, and it was becoming harder for Jasper to suppress, "She died a month after I left." He shot to his feet, "And what does that even mean!" He roared, waving a hand at the grave, "Thank you Ella for saving us! What did she save them from! And then 'He would be proud'!"

Jasper placed both hands on Emmett now and sent enough calm to knock out a normal human. "I imagine you are the 'he' it refers to. From what I know you were the only person, let alone man, that mattered in her life."

"Jasper!" Alice came rushing into the graveyard, followed by Edward. Immediately, she pulled him away from Emmett, who had turned on the other three. "I had the vision the second you left, me and Edward at the library looking her up. We went... Emmett," she looked up at him, "we need to get out of here. There are things you need to hear."

"Like what," Emmett growled at her. Forcing his calm over Emmett again, Jasper placed Alice slightly behind him.

Edward chose that moment to speak up, "Emmett, a few weeks after we left town a string of attacks happened in the city... By the looks of the old archives, it was a vampire."

Emmett growled, shaking so heavily he was certain the wolves would be proud. "What? A vampire! A vampire killed my Ella!"

"There's more," Alice whispered sadly, resting her head against Jasper's shoulder.

Edward stepped forward and rested a hand on Emmett's shoulder. "Emmett, one week after we left Ella filed a police report at town hall... Do you know a man by the name of Johnathan Abel?"

Emmett growled and nodded, "He was my best friend outside of Ella... He was supposed to be meeting me the day I got back from hunting. He led my search party, stayed with Ella a whole week after I went missing."

Now it appeared Edward too was becoming angered by the situation, whether at Emmett or what he was about to tell him; he was unsure. "She filed a police report against him one week after we left," Edward informed Emmett. "Emmett..." he hesitated, "he raped her."

Emmett threw Edward's hand off his shoulder and marched toward the woods emitting a constant growl, "That bastard! I trusted him!" He was muttering.

Edward sped around in front of him and blocked Emmett's path to the woods, "Emmett, you need to hear the rest of this." Emmett tried to move around him, but Edward caught him and made him listen. "Johnathan was never arrested. Two weeks after she filed the report a woman named Miss Browning scheduled Ella an appointment with a doctor named Mr. Clarkson... The rape got her pregnant, Emmett."

His knees collapsed. The strong, protective 'older brother' we all knew and loved was on his knees shaking with tears he couldn't cry. A woman he loved, but never confessed it to got pregnant from a rape by his best friend just a week after he went missing and was presumed dead.

"Eight girls went missing in the eight days before Ella," Edward continued. "Most of the bodies were found the next day. The two that went missing the days before Ella weren't found the next day. Ella went missing exactly a week after she found out she was pregnant, and the next day the two girls that went missing before her rambling about seeing vampires."

Edward kneeled down in front of Emmett and forced him to meet his gaze. "When they finally calmed down they said a vampire woman kidnapped them and took them into the woods to a house. Your friend Johnathan was on the table, transforming into a vampire and they were supposedly being stored for food, according to the girl."

Emmett didn't seem to be able to handle much more, but Edward pressed on, rubbing a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "According to the two women's story, the female vampire brought Ella in the next day, and while the girl was tending to Johnathan, Ella managed to break out and got the other two out the door while she distracted the vampire."

If vampires could cry, Emmett would be sobbing. "Who?" Edward needed no further question from Emmett.

He simply answered, "She saved two women: one named Janet Browning, the same woman who..."

"Headed Ella's orphanage," Emmett whispered, his eyes looking up to the sky, "I remember... She was the nicest lady in town, only person 'sides me that never judged Ella."

Edward smiled and nodded, "Emmett," he caught his brother's gaze, "the other girl she saved was named Amber McCarty... your sister, Emmett."

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**So I'm crossing my fingers that you all liked it, please lemme know and review. And thanks to those of you who favorited and followed. Means a lot. **

**You have no idea.**


	3. Chapter 3

**And now (over the next few chapters), we find out what ACTUALLY happened all those years ago between Emmett and Ella, and after Emmett left Ella to be a vampire.**

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***February 1934, miles outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee* **

"_Emmett! If you don't hurry up, we'll be late for sure!" Ella ducked under another tree branch as she tried to move quickly through the woods. She couldn't move very quickly in the long skirt she was wearing, but she certainly seemed to be moving at top speed. _

_Emmett chuckled and picked up his pace at her request. Unlike Ella, he wasn't worried about being late to his parent's house for lunch. He knew they didn't expect him to be on time like they did his brothers and sister. They stopped asking that much of him when he moved out two years ago._

_Ella on the other hand was adamant about being there exactly at one, as his mother had instructed. She knew Emmett's parents had never fully accepted her moving in with him, so this was just another of her schemes to desperately seek their approval._

"_Ella, relax." Emmett caught up to her side and held a branch out of her way. "Being a few minutes late won't alter my parents opinion of you any."_

_Ella rolled her eyes. She highly doubted that. _

_Emmett's mother was not a strict woman, but she was one for tradition. Mrs. McCarty was absolutely disgusted to hear that Emmett was, not only moving out, but also taking in his best friend from school, a girl that he was neither planning to marry or even had romantic feelings for. She had never been Ella's greatest fan, but she didn't mind the girl being friends with Emmett. Moving in with him, that crossed a line._

_Ella was surprised Emmett's mother had allowed their friendship to go on this long even. Most woman, middle-class or above, would forbid their son even looking at 'trash like that Ella Pearson girl.' The upper-class of town were disgusted with her. The middle-class, like Mrs. McCarty, pitied her and treated her like a lost puppy. Even the lower-class would feel sorrow for her on occasion. _

_Ella's mother was lower-class, a prostitute, that much was true. But she was still a smart woman, and wouldn't pedal with the disease ridden rats like most woman of her job description. She was called on to visit the homes of the upper, and occasionally middle, class homes. _

_Ella's mother was never married, so it was obvious that Ella was the daughter of one of her clients. That brought up the question, which one? Which was why most of the upper-class disliked Ella. No upper-class man was faithful, so they all had reason to suspect if Ella was there's. And because Ella looked so much like her mother, with absolutely no odd features, there was no family resemblance to any man, leaving unbelievable doubt in all their minds. _

_However, Ella's mother, a woman named Anne, died during birth, leaving Ella in the hands of a local orphanage that did nothing more for Ella than feed her and ship her to school. That was why Mrs. McCarthy disliked her, sure she didn't like her son living with a woman that wasn't a wife or even a lover, but she was most worried that Ella acted as much like her mother as she looked like her._

"_Your mother already dislikes me; please, can we not tempt fate?" Ella took hold of Emmett's hand and tugged him along as they finally exited the woods and arrived near the street. She knew going with Emmett hunting today had been a bad idea, no matter how many birds and squirrels were in the bag slung over Emmett's back._

_Emmett allowed Ella to drag him up to the road, still about a mile from his mother's house. "My mother doesn't dislike you. She doesn't approve of you staying with me is all. And even if she did dislike you, I've never let her opinions bother me before, why should I start now."_

_Ella tightened her hold on Emmett's hand and leaned against his shoulder. "That's a true point..." They fell into silence before Ella reached up and took Emmett's rifle off his shoulder, "Let me help you carry all of this." She waved a hand to his hunting bag that carried his haul for the day. _

_Emmett chuckled a little and held onto the gun strap. "You're not carrying a thing. Your clumsy enough as it is; we shouldn't add to that... And besides, you carrying my gun for me, now that's definitely something my mother wouldn't like."_

"_You're late," were his mother's first words as she opened the door. Her eyes fell on Ella, and she sent the girl a very forced smile._

_Ella smiled back nervously and stepped a little further behind Emmett, who was just now greeting her. "Sorry, mom. I went out hunting." The pair stepped into the house, and Emmett set his rifle next to the door. "I brought you some." _

_Mrs. McCarty eased slightly at his words. Times were tough, but Emmett always made sure the rest of the family was taken care of before himself. "Thank you, Emmett." Finally having lessened the tension, Mrs. McCarty accepted a hug and a kiss on the cheek from Emmett. "How are you today, Ella?" Her gaze turned to where Ella stood, still near the door._

"_Well, thank you. And you?" She asked, stepped further into the house._

"_I'm quite all right." Mrs. McCarty replied. "I'm about to start cooking dinner; perhaps, we can use some of Emmett's catch." Everyone in the house knew she'd be using Emmett's catch. Times were hard and fresh food was a lovely treat._

_Jumping at the chance to assist Mrs. McCarty, Ella offered, "Would you like some help?" _

_Mrs. McCarty sighed. She may dislike the situation between Ella and her son, but there was no denying that Ella truly was a sweet girl, constantly trying to help others. _

"_Yes, that would be appreciated. Would you mind bringing in some of whatever Emmett's caught after he's cleaned it?" Mrs. McCarty immediately turned tale for the kitchen, not much for softer moments like that._

_Emmett chuckled and sat down in front of his hunting bag on the floor, pulling out a set of three squirrels. "I'll handle it," he said as he noticed Ella's expression toward the squirrels. Emmett knew why his mother asked Ella to get the meat from him. The site of dead things, animals or people for that matter, always made Ella slightly nauseous. _

"_Emmett," before Emmett could go outside to clean the squirrels, his father came around the corner talking to his eldest brother. "We were just talking about you." Mr. McCarty smiled at his son. "How are you?"_

"_Fine. I need to go clean these for mom, though. I will be back in a minute." Emmett never particularly cared for his father. They were never as close as his father was to his two brothers, and he always jumped at the opportunity to abandon a deep conversation with him._

_Shifting attention to Ella, Mr. McCarty smiled. "Hello, Ella, you didn't come with Emmett when we saw him last week. Was everything all right?" _

_Ella nodded, but did not meet his gaze. Mr. McCarty had always made her very nervous. "Yes, everything is fine. I just went to visit the orphanage, talk to my old caretaker."_

"_Ah yes, Miss Browning, how is she?" Mr. McCarty asked as he took a seat on the couch._

"_She's well... The orphanage is building some new rooms so more of the kids can have their own bed." Ella rocked back on her heels as the Emmett's father and brother eyed her with a very discomforting look before they turned back to their own conversation. _

"_Ella," Emmett came back through the door a few moments later, "Here you go." He'd put the raw meat from the squirrels on a piece of paper to make it easier for her, but there was still blood all over the paper and his hands. _

_Ella swallowed hard and tried not to look at it, "Thank you." _

_With that, Ella went to the kitchen and set to work. The night was long, having to deal with Mrs. McCarty's somewhat disapproving gaze and the curious looks from Mr. McCarty at the head of the table, but she mustered through it till the walk back home with Emmett._

"_I'm going to see John tomorrow. Would you like to come?" Emmett asked as they left his parent's property around five in the afternoon._

_John was a good friend of Emmett's from school. He moved across the city for a job before everything went bad. Ella liked him well enough, but he always had this look in his eye that made her nervous. Then again, most everyone except Emmett made her nervous now a days._

_Ella shook her head, "That's all right. You go. I have washing and cleaning to do." _

_Chuckling, Emmett rolled his eyes, "The house is spotless. It's always spotless. You wouldn't live in it if it were anything less."_

_Ella laughed quietly, more to herself than him, "And it won't stay that way if I go with you on all these trips every time you have a few days off work."_

"_All right then," Emmett lost his tenseness as they got further from his parents, "have it your way, then. _

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**So, this chapters just some insight into what Ella's background is, what Emmett's family thinks of her, and just a general view on their friendship.**

**It's also the first time you see Ella at all.**

**Lemme know whatcha think.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, so this skips to just a few days before Emmett becomes a vampire. Not to worry though, this isn't the end of the story. There's plenty more to come, particularly involving the rest of the story Edward told Emmett, what's true and what got twisted over time. **

**So, lemme know whatcha think. Thanks to those of you who reviewed, favorite, and followed. **

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***Late June 1935; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; outside Emmett's home ***

"_With everything else you need in there for supplies I could only fit three shirts and three pairs of pants." Ella called as she came out of Emmett's bedroom lugging a very heavy looking backpack. _

_She wasn't all right with Emmett's leaving on a long hunting trip, but she knew that she could not talk him out of his plans, so she'd instead on, at the bare minimum, helping him pack. _

_Emmett looked up from where he had been cleaning his gun on the table. Standing up, he took the pack off Ella's hands and set it in the chair next to him. "Thank you." Emmett set the gun aside and turned to Ella, "It'll be plenty."_

"_Are you sure you have to do this?" Ella asked as she watched him sling the bag up on his back and take the gun on his shoulder._

"_Ella, you know I do." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face in some kind of frustration. "I'm doing this to help you, to help my mom, my sister." He took hold of her shoulders and gently shook her as a way of getting her attention. "Don't you dare worry about me ok? I'll be perfectly fine. I know what I'm doing. You know that."_

"_Of course I do." Ella rolled her eyes and shrugged off his hands. "I have complete faith in you, Emmett. I always have you know that. It's just..." She hesitated to think of the words, "Accidents happen. You can never be certain of anything anymore."_

_Emmett sighed and hugged her to his chest. He understood her worries, but he didn't want her to have them. She was his best friend, at times she was his only friend. She always had been she always would be. His only concern was helping her; he just wished he could help her without her having to worry._

_Normally, Emmett never bothered thinking like that. On most of his trips out he'd just insist he'd be back and prove himself right. But her worries seemed to be getting greater with every trip. Emmett hated the thought of her being here alone worrying while he was away._

"_Remember," He pulled out of the hug to look her in the eye, "You'll be seeing my mom in two days for a lunch in town. Then, you'll be helping at the orphanage for a few days... Now, the day I get back John will be coming by in the morning. He won't be showing up that much sooner than me, so no need to worry. He says he has some news to share though, so try not to throw him out."_

_Emmett led the towards the hall as he read off reminders to Ella, hoping she would not forget anything. _

"_Don't worry about me," Ella repeated the words he had said to her many times. She was showing him a sad, but reassuring smile, trying to say she could take care of herself, when they both knew she'd probably forget it all._

"_I'll be back soon. I promise. Don't worry." Emmett rounded on her and hugged Ella to his chest one final time before he back away towards the door. _

_Things had become extremely difficult over the last year, not just for Emmett, but for the rest of the McCarty family. Emmett's job at the railroad had come into question and it would be a miracle if he was able to keep it till the end of the month. Both of his elder brothers that worked on the railroad had already lost their jobs, and Emmett's little sister had come down ill._

_In response to the difficulties, Emmett had begun taking hunting trips further into the woods, shooting larger animals that he would bring back for Ella to sell in town. Ella had tried desperately many times to keep Emmett from taking these extended, dangerous trips; but there was no use. _

_Ella reached out and stopped Emmett's leaving for a minute. "Be careful," her tone was verging on begging. _

_Turning back to her, Emmett smiled sadly and hugged her again, "Aren't I always?" _

_This trip was to be farther than any of the others, he planned to make it all the way to the Tennessee border, which was Ella's cause for alarm. He'd never been more than a few hours journey from the house, and he'd only had one or two trips where he did not return home for the night. While this trip, he was expecting to be gone a week at the most._

_For the most part, Ella didn't over react to these trips. She didn't even over react when he didn't come home a few times. But something had changed over the last year or so. She knew she had no reason to feel protective over Emmett or even worried for him. He was strong; he could take care of himself. Yet still, Ella wanted nothing more than for him to stay. _

_For the last several trips Ella had written off her concerns as friendship and a brotherly love for Emmett, but it had become apparent the last few weeks that she felt nothing brotherly for him, that this was much more. _

"_Ella," Emmett put a finger under her chin and made her look at him, not letting go of her waist with his other hand. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you soon." He pressed a kiss to her cheek that lingered several seconds before he let her go._

"_Goodbye," Ella whispered as he exited through the open door._

_Emmett smiled back at her over his shoulder, "I'll see you soon." _

"_I'll miss you." Ella mumbled, not expecting him to hear her as she closed the door. _

_Ella sat down on the couch immediately and began to cry. She didn't sob or make any sort of whimpering noise, nothing like that. She just cried. She'd never really done it before. She could only ever remember crying once, and those were tears of joy the day Emmett took her in._

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**Aw, :( bye-bye Emmett, see you never. lol, just kidding... or am I? ... *dramatic pause* . Sorry. I'm hyper... ANYWAY, MOVING ON.**

**So, whatcha think? Please lemme know, I don't care if you review just to tell me its bloody horrible, so long as you type in a way that you sound British. Or at least insult me by quoting a song. **

**Well, bye. Please keep reviewing, favoriteing, and following. It means so much... In fact, I'm so hyper I think I'll stare at my email till I get notification that someone's followed, favorited and reviewed all at once.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, so I hope those of you reading still have liked the story, so far at least. So now, I'd just like to remind everyone again. Rosalie: not in this story. I guess she liked died on that street corner, Carlisle never found her or something, or maybe she married Royce and had little babies and named one of them Emmett. Idk. Point is: not a vampire. Not here. So now... we introduce the Cullens into the past! ... This is rather odd for me cause ya know, they're already introduced into the 'present day' chapters then you've got chapters like this that are sorta past tense... Anyway. You know what I mean.**

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***Early July 1935, Log Cabin Near The Tennessee Border***

"_What..." Emmett sat up, finally having regained control over his body. Emmett didn't know how long he'd been feeling nothing but pain, but it had been quite a while since he'd been able to move. He wasn't sure what caused it, although he assumed it was the attack._

_He didn't remember much of it, only that he was about to shoot a deer when he heard a loud growl behind him. Unknowingly, Emmett had placed himself between a mother bear and its cub. He had no time to whip his gun around, and no chance against the bear. After that, the bear lashed out at him before everything went black, and Emmett woke up to the most horrible pain filling his body to the brim._

"_Where am I?" he growled out at the only person he saw in the room. "What's going on?"_

_The man in the corner of the room had light blonde hair and deep golden eyes that were quite unnerving with how odd they were. _

"_He's awake." The man spoke, seemingly to no one in particular. The volume was completely normal; no way anyone could have heard him. Yet the reaction was instantaneous. Footsteps down on the first floor could be heard rushing up the stairs, leaving Emmett wondering how he could hear such a thing that far away._

"_Emmett McCarty?" The blonde man was joined by a younger man, seemingly around Emmett's age. _

_Emmett tensed and took a step back away from the younger man, letting lose a growl he didn't know he had. "How do you know my name?"_

_A rush downstairs jolted his attention. The two men blocking the doorway were now joined by a dark-haired woman, trying to push her way between the two, "Carlisle, Edward, explain it to him already! The boy must be terrified!"_

"_He's not," The younger one, presumably Edward, answered her. "Don't worry Esme; he hasn't really focused well enough to notice that anything is very different."_

"_What's different? Where am I? What's going on?" Emmett pestered them, not bothering with the rest of what the man said. He was not in the mood to be dealing with people beating around the bush. He had no patience for this sort of thing. Ella had always told him that. Now, he realized she was right... Ella, he had to figure out where he was so he could get back. If he was right, he still had a few days till he was due home, but she'd still be worried sick._

"_Emmett, you can't go back to her..." Edward spoke again. Not that it made any sense. It still made no sense how he knew Emmett's name, there was no possible way he could know anything about Ella. She certainly wasn't here right now._

_T__he woman, who Edward had referred to as Esme, finally managed to slide between the two men who seemed hesitant to let Emmett near her. "Emmett, hello, my name's Esme. I'm the one that found you in the woods, being attacked by that bear." That confused Emmett. What was that implying?_

"_Emmett," the older man finally spoke again, "let's go downstairs. We'll explain everything to you, and then you can decide."_

"_Decide what?" Emmett was gathering more questions than answers. He just wanted to know where he was so he could get home, but no, that didn't appear to be happening. Who were these people anyway?_

_Esme took hold of Emmett's hand and gave him a very motherly smile. "Follow me." She led him out into the hall of what Emmett now realized was a log cabin, not that that would answer where he was. There were plenty of log cabins in town. _

_Esme sat him down on a couch in front of a set of wide windows before taking one of the armchairs off to the side. She seemed to be the only one who wasn't either hesitant or questioning towards Emmett, for some reason. _

"_Emmett, my name is Carlisle; this is my wife, Esme, and for all intents and purposes, my adopted son Edward." The elder of the two men sat in the armchair directly across from Emmett, while the one called Edward sat on the other end of the couch. "We're what you call vampires."_

_Emmett didn't believe him... And why should he? Vampires were the stuff of fiction. No matter how strange the circumstance he'd been placed in, he simply couldn't invest in such a wild idea. Ella trusted and believed in people no matter how little or well she knew them, but Emmett wasn't that good a person._

"_Esme found you dying in the woods," Edward explained as though he knew Emmett wouldn't believe, "she didn't believe she had the self-control to turn you without killing you, so she brought you here, to Carlisle. The pain you were experiencing when you woke up wasn't just your injuries. You've become a vampire as well Emmett. You've been undergoing the transformation for the last five days while the venom healed your wounds and turned you."_

_If that were true, that meant Emmett would've been due to return home two days ago. Unbelieving, Emmett got to his feet, "No," he shook his head, turning around to look for a way out of this place, away from these delusional people, "that's not possible." He had to get out of here, maybe find his way back to..._

"_You're a vampire now, Emmett. A new-born vampire at that, if you go back home to Ella you'll likely not have the control to keep yourself from hurting her. That's not what you want." Edward knew Ella's name. How could that be? That's not possible. There was no explanation. Emmett had never seen Edward before, and he knew everyone Ella associated with._

_Edward took a slow step toward Emmett, which he returned with a step away. "Some vampires are born with special abilities. I can read the minds of those around me. I know you want to go back to see your family and Ella, Emmett; but you'll only be putting them in danger. New vampires are incapable of controlling their lust for blood. You'd likely kill them."_

"_That's why we're asking you to make a choice Emmett." Carlisle had now joined Emmett on his feet and rested a hand on his shoulder. "We'd like you to join us; we'd like to help you. You see, Emmett, my family and I, we feed off the blood of animals, not humans. That doesn't mean we aren't tempted by human blood, but we learn to control our thirst for it."_

_That's when Emmett began to feel the impact of that strange burning sensation in his throat, an odd need, like he had been walking in a desert without water. _

"_He's thirsty." Edward warned. _

_Carlisle nodded, but did not cease in his explanation. "We're not monsters like the others, Emmett. We'd like you to come with us as well."_

_Emmett couldn't believe his ears. He felt the odd thirst in his throat; he could hear what was going on far outside the reach of the house doors; he could see in details that were beyond what he could before whatever pain he'd woken up in. Something was different; he knew that. He felt it, felt different... Emmett didn't know what it would feel like to be a vampire, but if he had to imagine it, he'd imagine it felt similar to this. _

"_I... You're telling the truth." He whispered, shocked. So many things were about to change for him, he could tell, even from what they'd already said. If they were telling the truth, if vampires were real, if he was one, he couldn't stay in Gatlinburg. He had to get as far away as possible. He wouldn't dare to put his family or Ella in danger._

"_Emmett," Edward sighed, patting his shoulder, "I'm glad you understand, but... you have to decide. Will you join us?"_

_Emmett thought for a long moment, imagining if Ella could see him now. She hated the thought of dead animals let alone people; imagine if he were to choose not to go with these people, how ashamed she'd be of him. He couldn't do that, not to her. She'd never know he made the choice; he'd probably never see her again. But it didn't matter. He had to choose this... for her. "I'll go with you."_

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**So, whatcha think? Please Review. I really wanna know. Follows and favorites are also appreciated, lol. Um... Not much else to say... I might be posting another chapter later today. Trying to get this story out quickly so I can sorta move on and do another few story ideas I have... Anyway, not the point... Bye. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this took so long, my computer broke so you know, I had to wait for everything to get fixed.**

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***Early July 1935, Emmett's house, Living Room***

_"__Good morning, Ella," John sat up on the couch, stretching his arms high above his head, making an odd popping sound. _

_Ella winced and looked away from John as she entered the living room with a pitcher of tea and two cups. "Good morning, John. Would you like some tea?"_

_John had showed up early yesterday morning to share the good news with Ella and Emmett; however, Emmett didn't show up in the morning like he planned. So, Ella went about her usual day cleaning and tending to the garden outside till she made lunch for herself and John. _

_It was late in the afternoon yesterday when the two gave up on Emmett showing up that day. With only two rooms in the house, John opted for taking the couch as opposed to the several hour drive back home, in hopes that Emmett would either show up in the night or early the next morning._

_While John was calm, and enjoying the tea brought to him, Ella was trying to keep herself from becoming a nervous wreck. There was no telling what had happened to Emmett. He may have just been delayed a day or so, but he could also have been injured. In which case, there was no telling where he was._

_"__I suggest if he does not show up today, we should get a group and look for him," Ella suddenly burst. She couldn't stand the thought of Emmett being out there alone, possibly hurt, who knows what was happening to him._

_"__Don't worry, Ella. I'll finish my tea, change, and get a group together." John patted Ella's shoulder, "we'll find him."_

_Ella felt like she was timing his tea drinking and it took twice the usual length. It was probably just a feeling, but with his friend's life at risk, Ella expected him to be at least somewhat rushed._

_Within twenty minutes John had pulled himself together and walked out the door with the purpose of going to town hall to ask them to form a search party. Ella knew the town hall would be hesitant to send out a search party in such hard times for a guy with Emmett's hunting reputation who was only a day late._

_Ella couldn't wait around for John to return with the news, but she also knew the way people felt about her, so she couldn't go help John either. She needed to take her mind off the situation. So, Ella went on as planned to the orphanage. It was a three mile walk, something that would do well to help clear her head. _

_"__Ella!" She was greeted by Miss Browning at the door, "How are you dear?" Miss Browning pulled Ella into a quick hug in the middle of the doorway before looking out the door expectantly. "No Emmett?" She turned to Ella, "Still tired from such a long hunting trip I presume."_

_Ella sighed and shook her head no, walking over to the couch in the small living room. "No, in fact," Miss Browning could read the concern in Ella and immediately joined her in sitting. "He never returned yesterday. John came by to see him and stayed the night to wait for him... When he didn't arrive this morning I sent John off to the court house to see if they would be willing to form a search party."_

_Miss Browning chuckled in response. "There's no way on God's green earth the town hall will willingly form a search party for Emmett. He knows his way around the woods better than anyone I've ever seen." _

_Ella knew Miss Browning was right, but that didn't ease her worries. "Maybe so, but I'm still very worried this time... Something doesn't feel right, you know? I just..."_

_Miss Browning could see the absolute chaos raging through Ella's mind. "Come with me," Miss Browning got to her feet and took a firm grip on Ella's hand, pulling her around the corner to east wing of the orphanage where yet more new rooms were just being finished. "We'll be painting them next week, you know." Miss Browning waved to the rooms as she led Ella through the corridor of rooms. "You'll help won't you?" The orphanage seemed to be always expanding, but with Ella around there was no shortage of volunteer help for the projects._

_Ella smiled sadly, examining the walls. "Of course, Miss Browning, don't I always?" _

_Miss Browning chuckled, that was true. Ella was more willing than anyone to dole out help to the needy. Any time she even suspected Miss Browning needed something Ella would be by her side in a heartbeat. "And Emmett will be joining you of course." Miss Browning said with the utmost assurance. "We have to have someone to lug around the paint cans."_

_And with that comment Miss Browning put Emmett to rest as a talking point for the rest of the morning, till John came bursting through the door in search of her. He'd apparently gone to Emmett's to tell her, only to find her long gone, and upon asking the neighbors found he would likely find her here._

_"__I convinced the town hall that if he's not back tomorrow morning a volunteer search party will be sent out." John explained as he took a seat in the living room._

_Ella shook her head and got to her feet yet again, completely forgetting the conversation she and Miss Browning were having before his arrival. "Everyone knows Emmett's a good hunter. There will be a severe shortage of volunteers, especially because people won't want to risk getting hurt if an expert like Emmett already was." _

_Miss Browning got to her feet and stepped in the path Ella was pacing off. "Then you'll convince them. You always do convince them to help me. Now, you'll be convincing them to help save Emmett."_

_"__It shouldn't be too hard for you." John agreed, "I mean, Emmett may be a bit off track sometimes, but you always keep him on it. Just look at everything he's done for the people in this town. He's kept half of them from starving."_

_Ella eyed John warily. She'd never known him to be so supportive, even of Emmett himself. John was a very unsupportive, intimidating figure. He was a few inches taller than Emmett, but not built quite as broad. He'd spent much of his years trying to put on enough muscle to beat Emmett, and he'd come very close. He was built naturally tall and lean, yet his desperate attempts at being as big as Emmett had left him with a good bit of muscle covering his arms and legs, hiding the lean figure. _

_"__All right," I nodded in agreement. "If my memory serves right there's a meeting at town hall this afternoon about some of the roads. That ought to draw a crowd. I'll ask if I can speak in front of them about it." _

_Miss Browning's mouth widened into a smile. She'd always seen Ella as a daughter to her and had always been quite proud and fond of her speaking abilities that she gained despite her horrible history._

_When Ella talked, people listened. It was that simple. She was not a talkative person, nor was she in any way famous or influential. Ella just had a way with words. No word was a waste. If she said something you could be certain it held meaning. Ella had simply laughed when Miss Browning commented on it once saying she could talk people into digging their own graves. _

_John left soon after Ella's declaration, intent on going to gather the necessary supplies for a search party. While he was gone, Ella intently thought about how she would address town hall. It was quite a nerve-racking prospect. She never spoke in front of the public officials. Generally, they were the sort of high class people who frowned upon her birth while secretly knowing one of their own was her father._

_"__Ella, dear," Miss Browning swept her greying hair up into a bun and took her coat off the hook, "come along. I'll walk you to town hall. I'd like to hear your speech." Ella took one last deep breath before she too grabbed her jacket and left the orphanage. _

_As she predicted, the meeting already set for town hall had drawn quite the crowd, more than enough for a search party; and by some miracle, Ella had managed to convince one of the representatives on the board to let her talk about Emmett._

_"__Now," after several different people speaking on the roads topic, the representative stood up, "Ella Pearson is here to address us about a volunteer search party." A few people in the crowd groaned, but no one left._

_"__Thank you," Ella nodded to the representative and walked to the front of the room. "As you all know," Ella addressed the crowd, "Emmett McCarty went out on a long distance hunting trip last week. He was due back yesterday morning but never arrived, and we fear something may have happened to him."_

_"__Ella," Mr. Clarkson, one of the upper class doctors in town that simply despised Ella, spoke up, "Emmett's a strong young boy. He knows those woods better than the deer do. Why should we risk the lives of more people to rescue him, when he stood the best chance of anyone in those woods?"_

_Ella gritted her teeth as people in the crowd began to nod their agreement. "Because he'd do it for you!" Ella couldn't control herself. The burst of anger was so out of character, but she was tired of the people in this town dragging Emmett down just because he didn't judge her heritage like they did. He suffered enough for her already._

_"__You know he would," Ella shot back directly at Mr. Clarkson. Her attentions shifted to the crowd in general once again, "He built your fences, fixed your roofs; and I know for a fact that when any of you thought you would starve and couldn't afford to buy even a last meal he'd show up with a bag of food enough to feed an army for a month. Her eyes flickered back to Mr. Clarkson, "He gave more to this town than most of us could ever dream. So I don't see how there can be any question over whether or not we should try to save him. He saved my life... He's saved most of our lives," her gaze fell on the Buchanan family that Emmett spent quite a lot of time helping last year. "All I'm asking is for you to return the favor, do for him what he'd do for you."_

_The search party was double the necessary size at the end of the meeting, and it was set to leave first thing the next morning to hunt down Emmett, no matter where he was or how he was. _

_They would be separated in pairs to search sections of the woods; but unfortunately, I was forced to stay behind by a combination of John's insisting I would jeopardize finding Emmett and Miss Browning begging me to help at the orphanage._

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**Let me know what you think all right? Thanks. I'm in a bit of a hurry, or I'd have more to say, so I better go. **


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